Kiribati considers 'floating islands' to combat sea levels

ELEANOR HALL: The small Pacific Island nation of Kiribati is considering building what it calls floating islands to deal with rising sea levels.

The country's president discussed the idea at the Pacific Islands Forum in New Zealand where regional leaders are looking at ways to deal with climate change.

From Auckland, here's political reporter Simon Cullen.

(Sound of music)

SIMON CULLEN: The region's leaders were treated to an all singing, all dancing spectacular to mark the opening ceremony of the Pacific Islands Forum.

The host of the meeting, New Zealand's prime minister John Key, welcomed delegates from across the Pacific and urged them to work together to solve the region's problems.

JOHN KEY: As with all families, the ties that bind us together are very strong, and with all families we have our disagreements.

But it is true today as it was 40 years ago, that the things we have in common are much stronger than those that separate us.

SIMON CULLEN: One of the most pressing concerns for many of the small Pacific Island nations is the threat posed by climate change and how to deal with sea level rise.

The low-lying nation of Kiribati has been particularly outspoken on the world stage and over the weekend hosted the United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon.

The president of Kiribati, Anote Tong says for his country it's not a question of adapting to the new environment, it's now a matter of survival.

ANOTE TONG: We're considering everything including floating islands, including everything, because we are running out of options.

SIMON CULLEN: President Tong says the idea of floating islands may seem like science fiction but one day he says it may be necessary.

ANOTE TONG: The concept is that it would be something like drilling - oil drilling rigs, okay?

I'll ask you the question: if you're faced with the option of being submerged with your family what would you do? Would you jump on the rig like that on a floating island or not?

And I think the answer is yes.

SIMON CULLEN: He puts the price tag at about $2 billion and that would need to come from the international community.

The region's leaders are united on the need to take action to deal with climate change but one thing they don't see eye to eye on is what to do about Fiji.

Fiji remains suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum because of the military coup of 2006.

But President Tong from Kiribati says many regional leaders think it's now time to reinstate Fiji.

ANOTE TONG: If you have six children and one is a bad young boy what do you do with them? You kick them out? You don't. You never do, because we're a family and we must act like a family. And so Fiji is part of this family.

SIMON CULLEN: But Australia and New Zealand are firm in their belief that Fiji should not be allowed to rejoin the forum until it makes concrete moves towards democracy.

And without the support of the two biggest countries the forum's position appears unlikely to change.

Something else that's unlikely to change is the well-established Trans-Tasman rivalry between the two countries.

The two prime ministers held a media conference to announce they would work together on a $250 million plan to educate another half a million Pacific Island children.

But with just two days to go until the Rugby World Cup they couldn't resist the urge to take a dig at each other while exchanging gifts of rugby jerseys.

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